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| Hello, that is one among our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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October 6, 2021
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4 outdated Braes of Glenlivet, vertically
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Ex-Seagram’s, now Pernord’s Braes of Glenlivet a.ok.a. Braeval is one among these names which are at present benefitting from the quasi-disappearance of many first-tier model names that our beloved unbiased bottlers can’t disclose anymore. What’s higher, an nameless massive identify marketed as a blended malt or a little bit identify that comes unmasked and as a single? What’s extra, I am beginning to hear some new younger whisky fans declare that ‘if no unbiased bottlers ever bottle GlenMac, that is in all probability as a result of stated unbiased bottlers are contemplating GlenMac is just not ok’. Possibly is that going to show the tables, finally? By the way in which, certain there at the moment are some official Braes however the costs are completely loco if you happen to ask me. Like, three to 4 occasions the traditional costs elsewhere. Braes is just not GlenMac! (make up your thoughts, S.)
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Braeval Distillery (Stanley Howe) |
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Braeval 24 yo 1997/2021 (47.2%, Thompson Bros. for London Whisky Membership, 218 bottles) 
Not too certain in regards to the wooden right here however based on the color, this child comes unflavoured-up. Color: white wine. Nostril: filled with custard and heat brioche, with touches of overripe apples and pears, in addition to just a few honeyed and floral tones. Acacia flowers and honey (no acacia honey in any respect this 12 months in France, sob…) and sponge cake, maybe a contact of orange blossom water. As pure as oldish malt whisky may be. Mouth: very tremendous, a tad bitterish at first, maybe (bell pepper, grass) however in any other case malty and bready, with just a few bitter touches (bitter cherries, beer). End: medium, fairly on inexperienced tea, with a grassy rawness within the aftertaste. Fruit stones and a contact of salt. Feedback: a little bit rustic and grassy however this one oozes honesty and humbleness. Prefer it a lot.
SGP:361 – 85 factors. |
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Braes of Glenlivet 23 yo 1994/2018 (50.1%, The Whisky Lodge, Orcines, bourbon barrel, cask #165702)
Color: mild gold. Nostril: way more American oak on this one, which interprets into VVC (varnish, vanillin and coconut) at first sniff. No worries, we shan’t begin to acronymise simply all the pieces on this awful little whisky web site. Goes on with desserts and custard, scones, pancakes, a drop of pastis, aniseed and liquorice… To this point, so good. With water: excellent fermentary touches, wash, a little bit chalk, extra breads… Mouth (neat): very malty, you actually get a sense of distilled beer, which is totally not disagreeable. Large vanilla, touches of fruit gums (grapefruits, plums). With water: wonderful, fruitier, extra citrusy, chalkier. End: medium, on comparable notes. Lemon curd. Feedback: superb, flawless ex-bourbon Speysider. In a approach, you would additionally imagine it is a a lot youthful malt that is had intercourse with some very lively white oak, ala Bimber, or Chichibu or else.
SGP:451 – 87 factors. |
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Braes of Glenlivet 26 yo 1994/2021 (51.1%, The Whisky Blues with Cross Whisky Bar Taiwan, barrel, cask #165687, 175 bottles) 
Oh, a sister cask! That occurs increasingly more usually inside our wee periods. As there are extra indies, parcels of casks that come out might get unfold and dispatched quicker and consequently, come to the market inside a shorter time frame. The beginner taster will not care, and even be happier. Color: mild gold. Nostril: it is a sort of cross-breed between each earlier ones, with these bitter fruits on the one facet, and a rounder, breadier, extra vanilla-ed facet on the opposite facet. I’ve to say I get pleasure from all this ueber-naturality rather a lot, I imply, that is purely malt whisky. I do know what I am making an attempt to say. With water: having contemporary croissants with some grapefruit juice, very early within the morning. Good breakfast. Mouth (neat): varnish, citrus gums, stewed rhubarb, vanilla, lemon marmalade, all the pieces matches in to quasi-perfection. Great tightness. With water: extra of that, that is vigorous, joyful and excellent. End: similar. Great tart aftertaste. Feedback: it’s not unattainable that these three extra-years did generate extra complexity. A wine-malt with out one single drop of wine inside, that is the way in which. Oh and naturally, we’re all for any jazz or blues-themed labels!
SGP:551 – 88 factors. |
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Braeval 29 yo 1989/2018 (55.4%, Elixir Distillers, The Single Malts of Scotland, hogshead, cask #0993, 158 bottles)
I do not know why this older bottling is popping out of the bins now (possibly since you’re in the course of a Braes session, S.?) And as for why and after they would label it Braes of Glenlivet or Braeval, I’ve to say I’ve given up looking for any sort of logic. Color: pale gold. Nostril: that is completely different, it is bought one thing of a sherry feeling (raisins) but it surely’s bought this lemony tartness too. Chalk and weissbeer and grass and lemons and a contact of candlewax. With water: maintain on, olive brine? Ointments? Peat smoke? Mouth (neat): superb, with one thing medicinal, as if this was an ex-Laphroaig cask or one thing. Except they’d have executed batches that they’d peated to light-Ardmore ranges within the late Eighties? Superb and really intriguing Braes. With water: certainly! There’s one thing very coastal right here, however cask or distillate? May longer maturations generate such mixtures from a mean (not in a nasty sense) Speysider? And even set off salt? End: extra of all that. Would you forgive me if I stated that it is even bought one thing a little bit Brora-y? Feedback: I feel I will must put my paws on a few of these ridiculously costly OBs, particularly on the 30 yo that is at, cough, greater than 600 Euros. I imply, it is Braeval! Or are the tables actually beginning to flip? However unsure these OBs promote…
SGP:462 – 89 factors. |
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